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Xian, Nuria, Seydou and Sabela are the four young protagonists of Zeta, the new documentary by Ayuda en Acción that has been released at Golem cinemas in Madrid. With different stories, they share the desire to start an independent life project and they know that they will not have it easy. They have heard too many times that their generation does not try hard enough. Zeta aims to be that first-person portrait of a generation that, far from clichés, overcomes and is committed to a more sustainable and equal future where mental health is no longer a taboo.
Zeta shows, in 45 minutes of footage, the reality of those young Spaniards who study Vocational Training to have a chance. Despite the increase in the number of students course by course, with more than 1.13 million students of VT this year (4.9% over the previous year according to the report 'Facts and figures' of the school year 2023-2024) and having an employability rate of 42%, even higher than university graduates, Vocational Training is still considered a second-rate training.
Nearly 40% of Spanish youth have had difficulties in accessing the labor market
“We want to focus on Vocational Training, the development of skills and support to give opportunities to those who suffer disadvantages, 40% of the youth in Spain according to our reports” explains Matias Figueroa, Director of European Programs at Ayuda en Acción. "In the Vocational Training centers in Spain where Ayuda en Acción is present, we work to improve the student/center relationship, reinforcing active learning methodologies and creating safe spaces to create more inclusive and modern spaces that ensure the completion of studies and a successful transition to the labor market. In other words, so as not to further increase the unemployment and precariousness figures of young people”.
The stories that appear in Zeta are the result of months of accompaniment in the eMprende project. This is an initiative to promote opportunities for these young people and to encourage success in educational and labor market transitions linked to the deployment of the Minimum Basic Income (IMV) policies of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.
For Matías Figueroa, this project “shows all the power of a generation that is much talked about but little listened to” so that “it is necessary for entities, companies and public administrations to continue collaborating together to create these opportunities that can change lives”.
Zeta: four voices, one generation
Seydou, at 18 years old, has studied cooking at the Escuela de Hostelería de Orellana la Vieja (Extremadura). “If you have the necessary ambition, keep going,” he declares. A desire that has helped him to move forward and reach the kitchens of the renowned Valencian chef Quique Dacosta, where he has been able to do his internship this summer.
Sabela, another of Zeta's protagonists, is clear: “I have what I have because I work hard”. Her age of 17 does not prevent her from being clear about her goals and she is very aware of the road she has to travel and of the effort involved in breaking the stigma of having decided to study Vocational Training.
Nuria, also from Extremadura, is 16 years old and already knows the importance of taking care of her mental health and has learned to be happy doing what she likes the most. In the kitchen she has found a vocation and a dream. Xian is the veteran and, at the age of 23, is clear about the value of work and the importance of having opportunities to take advantage of them.
The premiere was also attended by more young people from Ayuda en Acción's eMprende project, such as Jihré, Emma, Damián and Sabela, for whom the documentary and their participation in the project's orientation program was “the push they needed”.
All of them have reached the big screen under the direction of Ramón Sánchez, who emphasized that “filming Zeta has been a great learning experience, giving a voice to a generation that we adults usually deal with from a distance”.
The premiere was also attended by content creator Andrea Compton, who has been present on social media for more than eight years, where she has accumulated a diverse audience that shares her passion for cinema, films and Zeta culture.
Zeta has been possible thanks to eMprende, a project of Ayuda en Acción that is part of the actions co-financed by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration with the Next Generation EU Funds within the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
